WAKE FOREST, N.C. – Washington State freshman Michaela Bayerlova saw her run at the 2018 NCAA Women's Tennis Singles Championship end in three sets Thursday morning at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex.
Bayerlova fell to Pepperdine's Ashley Lahey, 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 in the second round, ending a tremendous season by the Cougar freshman. The first set saw Lahey win three deuce points to jump out to a 4-0 before Bayerlova rallied, tying the set at 4-4 before eventually falling in a tiebreaker.
In the second, Bayerlova capitalized on an early break of serve to take a 3-0 lead. She never trailed in the second, winning 6-3 and forcing a decisive e third set. After breaking for a 2-1 lead, Bayerlova could not hold and the players exchanged service breaks over the next three games. At 4-4, Lahey held serve and then capitalized on her second match point to break Bayerlova and clinch the victory.
The loss ends Bayerlova's season, a season in which she posted a 28-6 overall record. She entered the tournament ranked No. 23 nationally, the highest spring ranking by a Cougar player in school history. An All-Pac-12 Conference first team selection, her season included eight wins over nationally-ranked players, two Pac-12 Player of the Week honors, and a 20-match winning streak to begin her career, the second-longest streak in school history. She also led Washington State to a 21-7 record, the most wins in school history.
Bayerlova fell to Pepperdine's Ashley Lahey, 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 in the second round, ending a tremendous season by the Cougar freshman. The first set saw Lahey win three deuce points to jump out to a 4-0 before Bayerlova rallied, tying the set at 4-4 before eventually falling in a tiebreaker.
In the second, Bayerlova capitalized on an early break of serve to take a 3-0 lead. She never trailed in the second, winning 6-3 and forcing a decisive e third set. After breaking for a 2-1 lead, Bayerlova could not hold and the players exchanged service breaks over the next three games. At 4-4, Lahey held serve and then capitalized on her second match point to break Bayerlova and clinch the victory.
The loss ends Bayerlova's season, a season in which she posted a 28-6 overall record. She entered the tournament ranked No. 23 nationally, the highest spring ranking by a Cougar player in school history. An All-Pac-12 Conference first team selection, her season included eight wins over nationally-ranked players, two Pac-12 Player of the Week honors, and a 20-match winning streak to begin her career, the second-longest streak in school history. She also led Washington State to a 21-7 record, the most wins in school history.